Exercising apparatus



Oct. 11, 1955 A. J. PFAUS EXERCISING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 15, 1949 Fig.

I5 Sheets-Sheet l Andrew J. Pfaus INVENTOR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.

. m m m .M V Pm E J w w m Wu H Y A B Q P w w Hm Oct. 11, 1955 A. J. PFAUS EXERCISING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Sept. 15, 1949 Andrew J. Pfaus INVENTOR.

United States Patent EXERCISING APPARATUS Andrew J. Pfaus, Great Neck, N. Y.

2 Claims. (Cl. 272-83) This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in exercising apparatus, and the principal object of the invention is to encourage the development of foot and leg muscles and to promote the activity of joints, particularly in conditions of paralysis or of other cases where a partial loss of mobility and articulate function may be present.

This object is achieved by the provision of the instant apparatus wherein the legs and feet may be subjected to various coordinated and alternate movements so that. the entire skeletal structure is activated, nerve and muscular stimuli are improved and joint mobility in substantially increased.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie in its simplicity of construction, in its adaptability for use in therapy as well as merely exercise, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

This application is a continuation of my co-pending application Serial No. 115,886, which was filed on September 15, 1949, and is now abandoned.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is atop plan view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view thereof, this view being taken substantially in the plane of the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 5 is an end view thereof, taken in the direction of the arrow 5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the subject shown in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the foot pedals used in the invention, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the carriages used therein.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of an exercising apparatus designated generally by the reference character 10, the same embodying in its construction an elongated housing 12 including a top Wall 14, the housing preferably having an open bottom as illustrated at 16 in Figures 2 and 3.

The bottom corners of the housing 12 are preferably provided with a plurality of suitable rests or feet 18 on which the entire apparatus may stand, and it is to be noted that a longitudinal partition 20 is provided centrally in the housing, as is best illustrated in Figure 3.

A pair of opposing channels 22 are provided on the inner surfaces of the side walls of the housing and the partition 20, these channels constituting tracks for inde- 2,720,396 Patented Oct. 11, 1955 pendently slidable carriages 24. Two of these carriages are provided, each being equipped with a superstructure consisting of a pair of U-shapedbrackets 26 placed back to back as is shown in Figures 3 and 8, which brackets, in turn, carry a substantially fiat platform 28.

The top wall 14 of the housing 12 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending slots 30, and the brackets 26 of the two carriages 24 are slidable longitudinally in these slots, so that the platforms 28 are actually disposed above the top 14 as will be clearly apparent.

As is shown in Figures 3 and 4, a pair of spaced upwardly extending ears 26 are provided on the platform 28 and are connected by a horizontal hinge pin 34 to similar ears provided on a bracket 36 which, in turn, is secured to the underside of a foot pedal 38. Two of the foot pedals 38 are, of course, provided, one on each carriage 24, and suitable coil springs 40 are provided on the hinge pins 34 for urging the foot pedals to a substantially inclined position, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Each of the foot pedals 38 consists of'a sole portion or plate 42 which is adjustably telescoped into a socket 44 of a heel portion 46 so that the foot pedal length may be increased or decreased in accordance with the size of the users feet, it being noted that the aforementioned brackets 36 are secured to the underside of socket 44 of the heel portion 46, while the latter, that is, the heel portions themselves are provided with suitable ankle straps 48 for retaining the users feet on the pedals. It will be noted that the rear ends or edges of the sockets 44 are engageable with the platform 28 to restrict the extent of upward swinging movement of the foot pedals by the action of the springs 40.

Suitable toe straps or bands 54 are provided on the sole portions 42 of the foot pedals 38 and are secured thereto at one end as at 56, while the remaining ends of the toe straps are equipped with convenient clasps or catches 58 engageable with downwardly projecting fastening elements or studs 60 with which the toe portions of the foot pedals are equipped.

Downwardly extending hooks 62 are provided at one end of the carriages 24 and have anchored thereto suitable tension springs 64, the remaining ends of these springs being connected to the shanks of the individual adjusting screws 66 which are rotatably journaled in one wall of the housing 12. As a result, the carriages 24 to gether with the foot pedals 38 are drawn by the springs 64 towards one end of the housing, that is, in the direction of the arrow 68, but when the invention is placed in use, the user may strap his feet to the foot pedals by the straps 48, 54 and by sitting on a chair, or the like, with the apparatus before him, he may push his feet forwardly, either individually or in unison, and cause the foot pedals 48 together with the carriages 24 to slide forwardly, as is exemplified by the phantom lines 70 in Figure 6. Moreover, he may exert downward pressure on the foot pedals so that they are depressed as indicated at 72 in the same figure, these sliding and depressing actions taking place, of course, against the resiliency of the respective springs 64, 40.

If desired, graduated distance indicating scales 74 may be affixed to the top wall portion 14 of the housing adjacent the slots 30 and suitable indicators or pointers 76 may be provided on the brackets 26 of the carriages 24, so that the user may readily observe the extent to which he can slide the foot pedals against the resiliency of the springs 64 and thus determine his progress from one exercise to the next.

The invention may be used while the housing 12 rests in a substantially horizontal position on the supports 18, but alternatively, the housing may be inclined in one direction or another, this being effected by providing a pair of leg members 78 which are substantially triangular in configuration and are pivotally connected as at 80 to the partition 20, these members being foldable to a substantially horizontal position wherein the transverse portions thereof are accommodated in the notches 82, provided in the lower edge of the partition 20, so that the housing 12 may rest upon the supports 18. However, either of the legs 78 may be dropped or extended downwardly and outwardly as is best shown in Figure 2 in which position the leg member or members abut the lower edges of the end walls of the housing and support the housing in an elevated position when both members are extended, or in an inclined position when only one member is extended while the other is permitted to re main folded.

Suitable pivoted catches 84 may be provided on the bottom edge of the partition 20 for retaining the leg members 78 in their folded position in the notches 82, as will be clearly understood.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, a further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the inven= tion as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. Exercising apparatus comprising an elongated housing having end and side walls, a flat top and a vertical longitudinal partition extending centrally therein, two pairs of channel tracks extending horizontally in said housing, the tracks of each pair being attached to the partition and one of said side walls, respectively, said top having a pair of horizontal Slots therein between the tracks of the pairs, a pair of carriages slidable in the pairs of tracks below said top and independently and having brackets upstanding therefrom and extending through said slots, a pair of foot pedals carried by said brackets and spaced thereby above said top for sliding the car riages by foot ressure against theped ls, an ension springs connected to said carriages and one. end of the housing and yieldingly holding said carriages against said end of said housing.

2. Exercising apparatus according to claim 1, and a pivoted support on said housing at one end thereof swingable outwardly and downwardly to support said end in elevated position and thereby incline the housing, tracks and carriages longitudinally.

R f n es Cited in th file of s. pa nt UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,017,356 Whiting Feb. 13, 1912 1,984,165 Tolchin Dec. 11, 1934 2,374,730 Catlin May 1, 1945 2,397,054 Segalla i .Mar. 19, 1946 

